Multiple Arms and Grapple

[Xath]

Is there a numeric bonus to your grapple check if you have more arms than your opponent?

 

[Black Knight Irios]

How should we know that?!

WotC hasn't said anything regarding this subject, except for that grapple will be easier to handle in 4E, AFAIK.

 

[Xath]

I posted it in the wrong forum.

:sheepish:

 

[Klaus]

Is there a numeric bonus to your grapple check if you have more arms than your opponent?

No. But if you suck up the penalty for multiweapon fighting, you get more grapple checks.

 

[mvincent]

if you suck up the penalty for multiweapon fighting, you get more grapple checks.

That appears to be incorrect.

The rules say:
"You can’t attack with two weapons while grappling"

This appears to also include attacking with more than two weapons, since the Rake description says:
"Normally, a monster can attack with only one of its natural weapons while grappling"

 

[Klaus]

That appears to be incorrect.

The rules say:
"You can’t attack with two weapons while grappling"

This appears to also include attacking with more than two weapons, since the Rake description says:
"Normally, a monster can attack with only one of its natural weapons while grappling"

Huh. You're right. You only gain extra grapple checks via iterative attacks...

 

[Hypersmurf]

Is there a numeric bonus to your grapple check if you have more arms than your opponent?

If you reverse-engineer the Xill and the Marilith, there's nothing built in to their grapple check for having extra arms.

The Girallon's Blessing spell from Savage Species makes no mention of any change to grappling when it grants extra arms, either.

-Hyp.

 

[sukael]

If you get your hands on the Improved Grab ability, you might be able to grapple with a single limb and leave the others free to attack normally.

(There's a feat in Draconomicon that reduces the penalty to -10, also, I think.)

 

[kjenks]

If you get your hands on the Improved Grab ability, you might be able to grapple with a single limb and leave the others free to attack normally.

Kind of.

The Improve Grab ability will let you take a -20 on your grapple check and use your other limbs to attack other opponents. It doesn't specifically allow you to attack the grappled opponent with your other limbs.

 

[sukael]

Kind of.

The Improve Grab ability will let you take a -20 on your grapple check and use your other limbs to attack other opponents. It doesn't specifically allow you to attack the grappled opponent with your other limbs.

I'd consider the operative phrase "If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a -20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself". If you're not grappled, you can effectively act normally (except for whichever BAB iteration(s) you use for the grapple).

I read "can use its remaining attacks against other opponents" as just a confirmation of this state, given that it's at the end of a sentence that basically restates the consequences of not being grappled. You can attack other creatures, sure, but that doesn't limit you to only attacking other creatures.